used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
in the past
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
make calm or still
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
true confidential information
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
faintestadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪntəst/
superlative of “faint” — deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
plural of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
heathennounUS /ˈhiːðən/
a person who does not acknowledge your god
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/
all of the living human inhabitants of the earth
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
Marama
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
matnounUS /mæt/
a thick flat pad used as a floor covering
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
murmursnounUS /ˈmɜːrmərz/
plural of “murmur” — a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
not any; not one
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
and nothing more
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
palmsnounUS /pɑːmz/
plural of “palm” — the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
pigsnounUS /pɪɡz/
plural of “pig” — domestic swine
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
recountedverbUS /rɪˈkaʊntɪd/
past form of “recount” — narrate or give a detailed account of
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
reefnounUS /riːf/
a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
a male human offspring
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
translationnounUS /trænzˈleɪʃən/
a written communication in a second language having the same meaning as the written communication in a first language
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A new moon was setting behind the point and the evening was so calm that only the faintest of murmurs came from the reef.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
at the time that
From this reading That evening, when Marama had recounted the details of our hunt, his mother told us one of her tales of heathen days--the story of how the first pigs were given by the ancient gods to mankind.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading We were lying on a wide mat, spread under the palms close to the beach.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Many of her words I understood; at times her son whispered a translation in rapid broken English.
a late time of life
From this reading There was a time--so the story ran--many years ago, when there were no pigs on any of these islands.
